Lawn game.



J. NORTON. LAWN GAMB. APPLIOATION FILED NOV.14, 1913.

Patented July 7, 1914.v

WITN SES mb. E N M n A THE NoRRls PETER'S col.' PH01DLITHO.. WASHINGTUN.D4 C.

JOHN NORTON, OE NEW YORK, N. Y.

LAWN GAME.

nica-eas.

Application filed November 14, 1913.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 7, 1914i.

Serial No. 800,98l.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that l, JOHN NORTON, a citizen ofthe United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough ofthe Bronx, in the county of the Bronx and State of New York, haveinvented a new and `Improved Lawn Game, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description.

rlhe present invention 'comprehends a novel and simple fascinating lawngame.

The primary object of the linvention is accomplished in the provision ofa lawn game which will be commonly known as Lawnette and the sameconsists of a projecting apparatus having improved means for anchoringthe same in the ground, such projecting apparatus being pivotallymounted so as to be adjusted at dierent inclinations whereby ballsdesigned for use with the apparatus may be projected at dierentelevations and distances therefrom.

A. further object of the invention is to provide an improved projectingapparatus which embodies a barrel having a plunger movable therein, theplunger being held resiliently extended from the inner end of the barrelwhereby, when a quick forcive action is. exerted `against the inner endof the plunger as by means of a'mallet, a'ball positioned in front ofthe plunger will be projected from the outer or discharge end of thebarrel and, due to the particular shaping of the latter, will bedeflected upwardly,

the object being to deposit the balls into.

pockets suitably spaced from the projecting apparatus, preferably inlongitudinal alinement so as to prove a test for skill and en.-`

durance as well as providing an exercising device.

With the above and other objects in view,

the invention resides more particularly in the peculiar combination andarrangement of the parts which will be illustrated as a preferredembodiment in the accompanying drawings and described in thespecification.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part ofthis specification in which like characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the views, and in which- Figure l is a sideelevation of the projecting apparatus of the improved lawn game;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view through the barrel portion of theapparatus, the plunger being normally retracted or projected from theinner end of the barrel with a ball in position to be projectedtherefrom; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the projecting apparatus, part ofthe barrel being broken away; and Fig. 4L is a perspective view of oneof the pockets into which balls are to be deposited.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention the improved gameapparatus is t0 be embedded in the ground and consists of a pair ofspaced parallel metallic strips 10 disposed in horizontal alinement withthe ground surface and having depending extremities or leg portions 1linclined slightly outwardly with their lower ends bent horizontallyoutwardly as shown at 12 to provide removal restraining feet. Theseportions 12 are connected by a transverse anchoring strip 13, the wholeoperating to prevent displacement of the anchor. rlhe anchor is designedfor securing the projecting apparatus thereto and to hold the latterrigid during the projecting operation.

The projecting apparatus embodies the base 14E removably secured to eachstrip of the anchor as by means of bolts l5 fixed to the anchor stripsadjacent each end of the horizontal portions thereof in line with theground surface, the base having apertures through which the boltsengage, while winged nuts 16 are engaged on the bolts to secure the baseto the anchor and permit the convenient removal thereof for the purposeof storing the projecting apparatus` after use or overnight as will beapparent. The base 14 is provided with a pair of spaced verticalbearings 17 in which a two-piece clamp or carriage 18 is pivotallysupported by means of a depending extension 19 having a pivot 20 engagedthrough apertures of the bearings and held from displacement as by meansof keys 21. The sections of the clamp are removably secured together asby means of bolts 22 engaged through opposed extensions thereof, andthis clamp is adapted to removably and rigidly secure a barrel section23 to the bearing portions of the base against longitudinal movementindependent of the clamp or carriage.

The projecting apparatus further comprises a section 24, both of thesections 23 and 24tbeing of tubular construction, and the section 24 atits outer end being curved upwardly as shown at 25 and being beveled atits top as shown at 26, so that as a ball 27 forming one of a series tobe used in the lgame is projected therefrom, such ball will be deiectedupwardly. The sections 23 and 24 are coupled together as by vmeans of `athreaded ring 28, such ring having interiorly threaded portions ofdifferenti vdiameters to engage the threaded ends of the barrelsections23 and 24 respectively, A washerr29 is disposed in contact witha shoulder produced by the adjacent section '23v and'by reducing theinner portion of the bore of the ring, 'and vbetween this `washer yand-the washer 30 disposed in con-tact with the in nei end off the barrel'section 24 isa cushioning ring 31,'y all ofl these parts being aperturedto movably receive a plunger 32 therethrough. c v

"The plunger 32-is`passed through the inner endet the barrel section 23and has a plunger head 33 'removably secured at its outer end, whilealso mounted lon the plunger is an expansible coil Vspring* 34, the samebeingmountedlbetween the washer 29 and a collar. 35 removably fixed, tolthe plunger adjacent the? inner end' of the barrel ysection23. When theparts are thus "assembled, an aperturedy cap 36 isy removably secured onthev inner end of the section 23 so thaty the spring will at alltimesnormally hold theA plunger headinwar'dlyy displaced in the barrelsection 24 and the rubber or cushion 31 willv take up the impact due toits quick returny and disengagement from the' ball; projected, A* heaid3T is removably secured to the, inner 'end oftlieplunger and is enlargedrelative` to the plunger so as noty tovmutilate asuitable mallet whichmayibe used forV stri-king they plunger' toA cause aquick outwardmovement of4v the` latter against the action of the coily spring'toproject the ball. The force exerted against the-spring `being absorbedin its 'coijl'sto some extent and the final impact being directedagainstV theI cushioning ring; through the medium ,of the washer 29will`preventmutilation thereof. :The return impactA of the plunger heaid 33Iagainst the cushioning ring-3l is exerted'by' contact of they plungerhead with the washer 3.0 sothat va greater portion of the jar tending todisplacev the 'supporting iframe` of' the apparatus will'be obviated.

-In playing the game aY plurality of basketsV or pockets 38 will beemloyed, such pockets being preferablyfou-r, in number and positionedxatsuitable ydistances in ,longitudinal alinement vwith the barrel'oftheprojecting apparatus, preferably `at twenty ifive, fifty,

apparatus. Vllachpocket' consist-sof `a circular ring 39 from which theinterwoven pocket is suspended, while at fourl points; the

spaced distances from' the latterqand to permit them to be convenientlystored with theV has a foot plate 42 secured thereto.

projecting shown'in Fig. l of the drawings, and in 1 order to so supportit and permit it to be adjusted at various inclinations for projectingthe balls lat diiiferent heights and distances,

the barrelsection is provided with a pair of 'depending aperturedears4l, and the base The 'foot plate is in turn provided with upwardlyextending spaced apertured ears 43, and said ears 4l and 43 eachpivotally' carry threaded Shanksl 44 which are oppositely threaded, andengaged by a turn buckle 45 whereby when the turnfbuckle is rotated thej threaded shanks are oppositelyA shifted relav` tive to the'same tocause the barrel to be raised or lowered. Ars,A the poclrets'maytbedisposed in any relative positiomythough preferably as i'leSCribed, buta sli-glit'adjustment or inclination ofthe'barreh'will be necessary todeposit4 the `balls intherespective pockets, and by .giving a harder orlighter-blow to the4 plunger the balls-may; be" l projected a greateror, lesser.y distance. y As vbefore mentioned, yfour `pockets areemployed and twelve oftheballs 27 the latv ter being `constructedlofrubbeiso 'as to lbe* projected from the barrehwith less. impact thanwould be required witha non-resilient member.` With one ofthe* ballsy inposition in the barrel section 24 andincontact with the plunger-head 23,the plunger is struck with a mallet whichis offsuitable weight and size,the 4object being'to depositithe balls intothe pockets..Whenitwelveballs are used by each player, if agplayer'depositl the iirstfour. balls, `one in ea'chof'the respective pockets, the yhighestscore'possible ismade, and one method of kcountingfwould be to countlthe ballsremaining so that the person first retaining a number of.:balls making atotal sum of twenty ive orrfifty, would win the game.Another'methodfof scoring Awould beto number eachl pocket ing apparatusandv count the 'numbers to obtain a sum totalv for' the twelve ballsorotherwise, or the highest score fori the least willnotonly prove a testfor theyskill `otthe player, but which will also prove interesting and,vbeneficial as an exercising dei p I vice. seventyf'ive an'done-hundred-feet fromthe I'Havin'g thus described -my inveiiti'on, ".I

`claim as new and desireto secure by Let` .ters-Patent: l l l 1.In alawn game apparatus,- theflcom? lbination with an anchor embedded inthe,

ground, ofI 'a projectingfapparatus mounted i l n according to itsdistance'from the'project` by the carriage and having a spring plungertherein adapted to project an object by forcive action thereagainst, andmeans within the barrel to cushion the movements of `the plunger.

2. In a lawn game apparatus, the com- ;bination with an anchor embeddedin the ground, of a projecting apparatus mounted therein, saidprojecting apparatus including a base removably secured to the anchorand having spaced vertical bearings, a carriage pivoted in the bearings,a barrel supported by the carriage and having a spring plunger thereinadapted to project an object by forcive action thereagainst, and meansconnecting the base and barrel to adjust the latter at variousinclinations.

3. A lawn game comprising a ground anchor, a pivotally supportedcarriage secured thereto against displacement, a barrel embodying a pairof sections coupled together, an apertured cushioning member between thesections, a plunger movable through said cushioning member, a coilspring on the plunger between the cushioning member and the inner end ofthe inner section of the barrel, the spring being held from movementinwardly of the plunger and the plunger being normally projected fromsaid end, the outer end of the barrel being directed upwardly andbeveled at its top portion, and an adjustable connection between theouter barrel section and the support.

4. A lawn game comprising a ground anchor, a pivotally supportedcarriage secured thereto against displacement, a barrel embodying a pairof sections coupled together, an apertured cushioning member between thesections, a plunger movable through said cushioning member, a coilspring on the plunger between the cushioning member and the inner end ofthe inner section of the barrel, the spring being held from movementinwardly of the plunger and the plunger being normally projected fromsaid end, a plunger head on the free end of the plunger, said plungerhead and the outer end of the spring being designed to contact with thecushioning member at the opposite limits of the movements of the plungerin moving outward against the action of the spring and in retracting andballs designed to be positioned in the barrel to be projected.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN NORTON.

Witnesses:

OHAS. W. SPIKINS, ANDREW J. FLYNN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

